Valve tappet adjusting screw



July 28, 1953 I H. R. BETHKE v VALVE TAPPET ADJUSTING SCREW Filed June 15, 1950 Z/ 2 gig ATTORNEYS Patented July 28, 1953 VALVE TAPPET ADJUSTING SCREW Harvey R. Bethke, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Edmund A. Kwiecinski, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application June 15, 1950, Serial No. 168,313

1 Claim.

, This invention appertains to valve tappet adjusting screws and is a continuation in part of my prior application Serial No. 19,218, filed April 6, 1948, now abandoned.

Oneof the primary objects of my invention is to provide a novel appliance for use with internal combustion engines of the valve in the head type; such as is. commonly employed in certain makes of automobiles, for example, Chevrolets, Buicks, etc., and in diesel engines, which can be readily and quickly substituted for the common valve tappet adjusting screw for efifectively subduing noises incident 'to' the operation of overhead valves.

Another salient objectof my invention is to provide a novel valve tappet adjusting screw,which will prevent binding of the screw and rod incident to continuous use thereof and for effectively lubricating the point of bearing contact between the screw and rod.

A further object of my invention is to provide a valve tappet screw having its body centrally channeled or bored for the reception of a bearing spring and/or lubricating wick, the spring being of a novel construction for bearing engagement with the rod socket to prevent binding and to continuously take up play between the screw and the tappet rod.

A further important object of my invention is to provide the ball head of the tappet adjusting screw with ports communicating with the central channel or bore for insuring the proper lubrication of the point of engagement of the screw and spring with the tappet rod, the constant expansion and contraction of the spring in the channel or bore functioning to insure movement of the lubricating oil to contacting parts.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an indivadual valve tappet adjusting screw of a simple and durable character, which can be manufactured and placed upon the market at a reasonable cost, and which can be readily and quickly substituted for the valve tappet adjusting screws now commonly carried by valve rocker arms.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing,

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view through my improved, individual tappet adjusting screw, showing the same in place on a valve rocker arm and engaging the socket of a valve tappet rod, portions of the rocker arm and pet rod being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the novel valve tappet adjusting screw.

Figure'3 is a vertical sectional view through the valve tappet adjusting screw, showing the use of a lubricating wick therewith.

Figure 4 is a detail, horizontal sectional view through the adjusting screw, taken on the 'line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows illustrating the arrangement of the oil escape ports.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter S generally indicates my novel, individual valve tappet adjusting screw. The screw S is associated in the ordinary manner with an engine valve rocker arm 5, for hearing engagement with a valve tappet rod 6. The rocker arm 5 and the tappet rod 6 form no part of the present invention. However, it is to be noted that the rocker arm 5, is provided with an internally threaded opening 1, and that the upper end of the tappet rod is provided with a semi-spherical socket 8 and a central well 9, communicating with the bottom of the socket.

My novel valve tappet adjusting screw S includes a substantially cylindrical body 10 externally threaded, as at H, whereby the same can be adjustably fitted in the threaded opening I, of the rocker arm 5. To facilitate turning of the screw, the upper end thereof can be provided with a screw driver receiving slot l2. After adjustment of the screw within th opening 1, such adjustment can be maintained by the use of a common lock nut l3, threaded on the screw to intimately contact the upper face of the rocker arm. The lower end of the body I0 of the screw S, below the threads II, is provided with a substantially spherical bearing head I4, which is received within the socket 8 of the tappet rod 6. In accordance with my invention the body I0 has formed therein the axially extending channel or bore I 5, which opens out through the extreme lower end of the screw. If desired, the interior diameter of the channel or bore l5, at its inner end, can be slightly restricted, as at l6, for a purpose, which will be later set forth. The spherical head I4 is provided with radially extending ports H, which communicate with the central channel or bore I5.

Received within the bore is an expansion coil spring, and the inner end of this spring [8, is snugly received within the restricted portion l6 tapof the channel or bore 15, so that the spring l8 will be normally held in place within the screw body against accidental displacement. The lower end of the spring protrudes a considerable and desired distance beyond the lower end of the screw S and the convolutions at the lower end of the spring are forced into tight engagement with one another, to provide a substantially solid bearing tip l9; Ihis bearing tip I9, is ground to a point, as is best shown in Figure 2 of the drawing,

and the grinding of this point forms a smooth,

bearing surface. In the association of my adjusting screw S with th rocker arm 5" and the rod 6', the ground smooth tip 19 is received within the well 9 of the tappet rod and the spring is placed under compression by adjusting the body of the screw in the rocker arm. This, is clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.

The operation and formation of the spring is such, that free rocking movement is had between the tappet rod and the screw, but the compression of the spring is such that play is taken up so as to reduce and subdue noises incident to the operation of the tappet rod relative to the screw. Upon movement of the ball head M in thesocket 8', oil: will seep out of the ports ll to constantly lubricate th upper wall of the socket and as the spring constantly expands and contracts, the action thereof tends to work the lubricant back and forth in the channel; and socket.

If desired (see Figure 3) a lubricating wick 28, can be saturated with lubricant, and placed within the spring. In some instances, a. large size wick can be used alone in the channel or bore [5.

From the foregoing description, it, can be, seen u that I have provided a new and novel replacement device forthe valvetappet-adjusting screw commonly used in engines of the overhead valve type.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention but what I claim as new is:

A valve tappet adjusting screw comprising a cylindrical body having a semi-spherical bearing headonits lower end for engaging in the rounded socket of a tappet rod, said head and body having an axially disposed bore closed at one end and opening out through the extreme lower end of said head, an expansion spring fitted in said bore having; one end protruding beyond said head and provided with, a tappet rod engaging, substantiallysoli'd, conicallyshaped bearing point, and said head having radial ports therein communicating with the bore and opening out on the outer surface of the head at a point adjacent the upper surface of the tappet rod when the adjusting screw bearing head is received in the rounded socket of the tappet rod and in vertical alignment therewith.

HARVEY'R. BETHKE.

References- Cited in. the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,525,583 Koehl'er Feb. 1,(),, 1925 1,556,506, Fox Oct. 6, 1925 1,583,335 Borschel May 4', 192.6 1,748,086 Small Feb. 25, 1930, 2,042,884 Facchini June 2, 1936 2,075,811 Kaufmann Apr. 6,, 1937 2,123,681 Wi11goos 1 July 12, 1938 2,525,791 Good. 0011.17, 1950, 2,564,902 Houser et a1. Apr. 21, 1951 

